Druze History

[Sile]

http://www.nature.com/articles/srep35837

Reconstructing Druze population history

Scarlett Marshall (http://www.nature.com/articles/srep35837#auth-1)
, Ranajit Das (http://www.nature.com/articles/srep35837#auth-2)
, Mehdi Pirooznia (http://www.nature.com/articles/srep35837#auth-3)
& Eran Elhaik (http://www.nature.com/articles/srep35837#auth-4)



Scientific Reports 6, Article number: 35837 (2016)
doi:10.1038/srep35837
Download Citation (http://www.nature.com/articles/srep35837.ris)


Computational models (http://www.nature.com/subjects/computational-models)
Genetic variation (http://www.nature.com/subjects/genetic-variation)



Received:27 April 2016Accepted:05 October 2016Published online:16 November 2016


Haplogroup analysesThe Druze belong to nearly all the basal Y chromosomal and mtDNA haplogroups (Tables S4 and S5, respectively). The most common mtDNA haplogroups (H, K, U1, X and J) are present in 68.76% of the individuals compared with 94.17% of the individuals that exhibit the most common Y haplogroups (E1b1b, G, J1, J2, K, L and R [except R1a]).
The most common Y haplogroups in Druze dominate the area between the Black and Caspian Seas and represent the major lineages among populations inhabiting Western Asian regions, including Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan and the Caucasus29 (http://www.nature.com/articles/srep35837#ref29),30 (http://www.nature.com/articles/srep35837#ref30),31 (http://www.nature.com/articles/srep35837#ref31). The mtDNA haplogroups also indicate a Eurasian origin due to the commonality of the haplogroups in Central Asia (e.g., J), Europe (e.g., H), North Eurasia (e.g., T) and Northeast Eurasia (e.g., X)32 (http://www.nature.com/articles/srep35837#ref32).

[Alan]

I had some things mentioned about the Druze in the past. The Druze are not really a homogenous bunch, but represent rather a fusion of pre Islamic Levantines on one hand and Iranic speakers on the other. There are several tribes among the Druze who trace back their origin to Kurdish or Persian tribes. Among those the Janpolats(Jumblatt) and Arsalans.

As prime example the Lebanese Druze leader Jumblatt who descends from a Kurdish family from Syria.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jumblatt_family



So no wonder allot of their yDNA matches the area between the Caspian and Blacksea.

[MarkoZ]

Great paper. I'm surprised that the Druze have such a strong northern association relative to even Syrians despite being speakers of Arabic.

The authors devote a large part of their publication to the refutation of the popular myth according to which the Druze constitute an ancient Levantine isolate of some sort. That idea always seemed rather far-fetched.

[Alan]

Great paper. I'm surprised that the Druze have such a strong northern association relative to even Syrians despite being speakers of Arabic.

The authors devote a large part of their publication to the refutation of the popular myth according to which the Druze constitute an ancient Levantine isolate of some sort. That idea always seemed rather far-fetched.

Only some people thought this way but they are absolutely no isolate.

http://www.sacred-texts.com/asia/odpr/odpr08.htm

I seems that they are a three way mix of mostly native Levantine + Iranic with some early Arabian admixture.

Iranic/ancient Mesopotamia elements are visible in their religion. They have allot of similarities to Kakai/Alevi Kurds and some similarities to Yezidi and Yarsan Kurds.

[Seanp]

Druzes seem to one of the purest Neolithic farmer population.

[Atlantische]

Druze people are one of the populations with highest % of G2a3a M406.
It's like a 8,1% among Israeli Druze.
Generally, they are fully neolithic population.

A 2008 study published on the genetic background of Druze communities in Israel showed highly heterogeneous parental origins. A total of 311 Israeli Druze were sampled: 37 from the Golan Heights, 183 from the Galilee, and 35 from Mount Carmel, as well as 27 Druze immigrants from Syria and 29 from Lebanon. The researchers found the following frequencies of Y-chromosomal haplogroups:

Mount Carmel: L 27%, R 27%, J 18%, E 15%, G 12%.
Galilee: J 31%, R 20%, E 18%, G 14%, K 11%, Q 4%, L 2%.
Golan Heights: J 54%, E 29%, I 8%, G 4%, C 4%.
Lebanon: J 31%, E 22%, K 21%, R 14%, L 10%.
Syria: J 39%, E 29%, R 14%, G 14%, K 4%.